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While it may be manageable for most, I wonder at what point it becomes downright dangerous for people in critical jobs. It would be interesting to do an analys

While it may be manageable for most, I wonder at what point it becomes downright dangerous for people in critical jobs. It would be interesting to do an analysis of say Muslim Surgeons observing Ramadan fasts and the numbers and types medical errors during the fasting vs non-fasting periods. Or the Pilots on Fast and Long Haul flights who have been fasting daily for a month....

ardit33 10y ago
Plenty of people do "intermittent fasting", but mostly for fitness reasons. 8hrs feeding window, and then 16hrs fast. One of the most reported side effects is actually "slight euforia".
616c 10y ago
It is hard to say in the Arab World, but judging from accent and religious greetings, I have flown during Ramadan without incident. However, there are known exceptions to fasting when traveling during Ramadan. It is one of the few times when you are exempted, save illness, from fasting. Despite what people say, Islam has a very practical mindset about these things and many people push themselves, name the elderly and sick, and that upsets me because I see many whose medical conditions exempt them. How do doctors get around it? They don't show up! Jokes aside, where I live, office hours are reduced to six hours a day. This is partly fasting, but because many stay up late to recite the Quran (Taraweeh and later Tajahhud) into the late hours of the evening and wake up for pre-dawn prayers.
walrus01 10y ago
> While it may be manageable for most, I wonder at what point it becomes downright dangerous for people in critical jobs. Based on experience in pakistan, there's already effectively no OSHA and people do very dangerous things in construction/with heavy equipment all the time. Now add dehydration and 43C weather... You can imagine the results.
redrummr 10y ago
Fasting != intermittent fasting. You're not abstaining for weeks. A meal can take take 24 hours or longer to digest (especially when it's a 'feast'). It's not unusual for people to gain weight during Ramadan (they don't break their' fast' with green pea soup). If it's your first day (of your life) adjusting your food intake pattern, maybe there is a performance hit. I'm not Muslim but I fast for fitness reasons much of the year. More focus, more strength, euphoria. Eating takes a lot of energy. I now work for myself but when I was at a multinational finance company, I could see the post-lunch drain bring down 90% of people on my floor. I would be worried about the pilot that ate three slices of pizza before getting on the plane!

ardit33 10y ago

Plenty of people do "intermittent fasting", but mostly for fitness reasons. 8hrs feeding window, and then 16hrs fast. One of the most reported side effects is actually "slight euforia".

616c 10y ago

It is hard to say in the Arab World, but judging from accent and religious greetings, I have flown during Ramadan without incident. However, there are known exceptions to fasting when traveling during Ramadan. It is one of the few times when you are exempted, save illness, from fasting. Despite what people say, Islam has a very practical mindset about these things and many people push themselves, name the elderly and sick, and that upsets me because I see many whose medical conditions exempt them. How do doctors get around it? They don't show up! Jokes aside, where I live, office hours are reduced to six hours a day. This is partly fasting, but because many stay up late to recite the Quran (Taraweeh and later Tajahhud) into the late hours of the evening and wake up for pre-dawn prayers.

walrus01 10y ago

> While it may be manageable for most, I wonder at what point it becomes downright dangerous for people in critical jobs. Based on experience in pakistan, there's already effectively no OSHA and people do very dangerous things in construction/with heavy equipment all the time. Now add dehydration and 43C weather... You can imagine the results.

redrummr 10y ago

Fasting != intermittent fasting. You're not abstaining for weeks. A meal can take take 24 hours or longer to digest (especially when it's a 'feast'). It's not unusual for people to gain weight during Ramadan (they don't break their' fast' with green pea soup). If it's your first day (of your life) adjusting your food intake pattern, maybe there is a performance hit. I'm not Muslim but I fast for fitness reasons much of the year. More focus, more strength, euphoria. Eating takes a lot of energy. I now work for myself but when I was at a multinational finance company, I could see the post-lunch drain bring down 90% of people on my floor. I would be worried about the pilot that ate three slices of pizza before getting on the plane!